A polyphenol enriched Theobroma cacao bean extract for cosmetic application

It was found that long-term ingestion of cocoa flavonols was able to prevent a variety of dermal disorders associated to UV exposure, like decrease of skin thickness and skin density (1), possibly by means of production of glycosaminoglycans and collagen (2). The antioxidant activity seems to be the underlying mechanism (3). These findings led to the development of a polyphenol enriched cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao L.) extract for further use as a cosmetic ingredient. The proposed method of extraction of polyphenols was able to to avoid the formation of insoluble tannins that normaly occurs in the production of chocolate (4). The extract was evaluated by three different and complementary DPPH, Lipoperoxidation and Plasmidial DNA Protection Assay. In The DDPH assay, the extract showed an IC₅₀ of 7×10^-3 mg/ml, the same protection achived by the control BHT at 0,01%. In the lipoperoxidation assay the lowest concentration tested, 25µg/ml, showed a reduction of oxidation of 33,8% of the liposomes. The maximum level of protection was achieved by 50ug/ml and was not surpassed by greater concentrations. In the Plasmidial DNA Protection Assay, the damnification of the supercoiled (SC) DNA is done by UVA (4,7J/cm²) and riboflavin (phototoxic under UVA radiation) to form the damnified open circle (OC) DNA. The greater concentration tested i.e 183,4µg/ml exhibited the same level of protection of quercetin at 1mM. The results showed support indirect evidence for the use of the present extract as an anti-aging ingredient.

References: 1. Heinrich U et al. (2006)J Nut. 46: 1565–1569

2. Gasser P et al. (2008) International Journal of Cosmetic Science 30: 339–345

3. Han B & Nimni ME (2005) Connective Tissue Research 46: 251–257

4. Wollgast J, Ankla, E (2000) Food Research International 33: 423–447